Philadelphia Woman Killed in Hit-and-Run

Last night, a man and woman were in their vehicle driving near the Art Museum. It was late, just after midnight, so maybe they were eager to get home and go to bed. While what they were thinking or discussing remains unknown, whatever it may have been was abruptly cut off when they caught a flash of headlights as they were crossing the Garden Street Bridge. There probably wasn’t even time to react before the 30-year-old West Philadelphia driver behind those headlights broadsided them.

Car accidents are always disorienting. Victims literally don’t know what hit them or where it came from. The 30-year-old driver got out of his car, not to see if the victims he just hit were okay, but to flee the scene of the accident. He ran away. He was taken into custody a few hours later, and charges are expected to come today.

After the perpetrator fled, responders arrived on the scene to tend to the victims. The 40-year-old female passenger was brought to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, but the impact proved too severe. Tragically, the woman was pronounced dead. The 57-year-old operator of the vehicle that was struck was also injured in the impact, but is reportedly in stable condition this morning.

According to a local report from NBC 10, alcohol is being investigated as a factor in this crash. While the exact charges that could be issued against the man that fled the scene of this hit-and-run accident remain to be seen, he could be facing severe consequences.

Not only could this man be held reprehensible in a criminal court, but the he could potentially be held reprehensible in a civil court as well. Families of victims killed in similar circumstances do often retain the option of pursuing a wrongful death claim, which could entitle them to monetary compensation.